Duel
by Anna from Cambridge
Summary: In the second book Jack and Stephen have a duel, but what if it did happen? Apologies for any stupid mistakes that I might have in my story - English is not my first language. Fourth and last chapter uploaded.
1. Chapter 1

Jack stood and watched Stephen take off his shirt. His mind was blank. No thoughts at all, for he refused to believe that they went this far. They took their pistols and stood opposite each other waiting for the signal. Jack saw Stephen lift his pistol and did the same. Thoughts rushed through him like huge ocean waves. "Why didn't I apologize? I had an opportunity and did not use it. I did not find courage in myself to admit that I was wrong. I acted like a child". Jack looked at doctor's face: there was something reptilian about its expression, a cold and evil gaze, which burned a hole in captain's soul. Then he heard the signal but did not pull the trigger, he just could not contemplate the thought of harming Stephen even more than he has already done. He felt rather than knew that he shall never be able to forgive himself for that. Jack was so absorbed by the renewed flood of thoughts that he did not notice Stephen pulling the trigger. Sharp pain somewhere in his chest surprised him. He put his palm over the wound and felt the warmth of his own blood. Captains remained standing for several seconds, and he could have remained standing and show no signs of weakness, but he fell onto the damp ground. Perhaps it was the shock or the tiredness that did their job, but there Jack was lying on the ground, trying to hold on to the remains f his consciousness. He was aware of cloak being thrown over his body, but felt no need for it. His body was numb and the only thing that told him he was alive were the pangs of pain.  
  
Lift him! We must take him to the ship. My instruments are there and I need to operate on him as soon as possible! – Jack heard Stephen's worried voice and felt consciousness – despite his struggles – slip away.  
  
* * * Through the darkness Jack heard two voices.  
  
Doctor, I do not want to insult you, but do you not find anything hypocritical in your actions? It was you who shot him and now you snap at anyone who comes close to him, saying that he should not be disturbed. He is unconscious for God's sake! How can I possibly disturb him? Listen, I am his friend as well, and perhaps I have not been with him when he needed me, but I do have a right to be with him if I can.  
  
I see your point, Mr. Sayers, but after all I am a doctor here, I know what is good for my patients.  
  
I hope you do.  
  
Aubrey knew the voices, but could not remember whom they belonged to. After trying to open his eyes for several times, he gave up and sank back into comfortable murkiness. 


	2. Chapter 2

Next time when Jack woke up, darkness was not so 'solid', and now he could finally feel his body, could feel the nagging pain. He heard the same people speaking again: one voice was resentful, the other sounded as if the person might burst into tears any moment.  
  
"I cannot understand why you carried on with the duel."  
  
"He insulted me and would not apologize"  
  
"What sort of friend are you if you do not understand Jack's feelings?!  
Do you think it would be so easy for him to apologize? And anyway I am  
sure that he would not insult you just because he felt like it at the  
time, he must have had a reason for it, even if he acted thoughtlessly.  
And did not the fact that he lowered his pistol and did not shoot seem  
like he admitted his guilt? Did it not?! Oh, how I wish Jack did not have  
such a noble heart! He could have shot you!"  
  
"You would not love him as much if he did not have a noble heart. I would  
not..."- Stephen's voice was quiet, barely recognisable.  
  
"How true..."  
  
The other man seemed to calm down for now he also sounded quiet. Quiet and sad. Jack wanted to shout out that he did not have a noble heart: he let himself be rash; he let himself contemplate the idea of a duel with Stephen. The duel was his fault – not shooting was the only thing he could do. But no sound left his mouth, except barely audible groan.  
  
* * * Jack regained consciousness on the fourth day after the duel. Almost immediately he was able to sit up in his bed, nevertheless he felt very weak and got tired very quickly, so most of the time he just slept. However, when he was awake he spent most time talking with David Sayers, his old friend who happened to be in the nearby village where Killick went to get some supplies for Captain's kitchen. David and Jack once served together as midshipmen and passed examination for lieutenant at the same time. Very soon after that David was forced to drop his naval career for his father died and left him a rather large inheritance and a younger sister to take care of. Jack at first could not understand why David had to forget being a sailor, just because his sister – already sixteen years old – needed taking care of. Soon the truth came out: David found himself a bride, but her parents were against their daughter marrying someone, who would be away most of the time. So David left sailing to his friend Jack, married Anna Elizabeth Westwood, and settled in the Sayers Manor, receiving about 5000 pounds a year. Jack remembered David's sister very well: once he was very fond of her. She was a rather tall girl with a beautiful face, dark red hair, full lips, which dared all men – rather than tempted – to kiss them, and mysterious green eyes. She also had an unusual personality and unusual name. Her father travelled to India as young man and came back with a broken heart. Several years passed and he married a respectable girl who soon gave birth to son David and shortly after that to daughter, who was called Sohalia by her father. His wife did not want her little girl to be named after some Indian whore, at least that where she thought the name came from, but her opposition did not prevent her neighbours admiring the unusual name, and so she gave up. With the unusual name came an unusual character: she seemed rather quiet and shy just like her mother, but as she grew up she displayed qualities that her mother never possessed. Sohalia was very intelligent, cunning and had a sense of humor, which sometimes was found very appalling. Some said it was her father who gave her these qualities, some said that the girl was adopted, the parish priest went as far as saying that the girl was possessed by the spirit of the Indian whore, but he was drunk at that time and nobody took his words seriously. Jack himself could never believe that one could call Sohalia a demon. She was strange no doubt, but she could only be admired, and that was what Jack did: he admired Sohalia, but she never treated his affections seriously and once on the rainy afternoon she told him not to bother her with his admiration. Aubrey could remember her words as if their conversation happened yesterday:  
  
"- Jack, please shut up. Do not talk of love with me. Love is a severe  
mental disorder.  
  
- Sohalia, I cannot believe you are saying such things!  
  
- Shut up, Jack. Do not act as if you are innocent. By the way it's  
Plato's words. Not that you know who he is."  
  
David told Jack that he was worried for Sohalia, but he could not remember why, for he was exhausted and fell asleep letting David carry on with his story. Next time he was ashamed to ask him about it. David stayed by his bed almost all the time while Jack had enough strength to talk. Stephen only came to change Jack's bandages and rarely said a word except a formal greeting. First time when David and Stephen were together with Jack, captain tried introducing them to each other, but they said that they know each other already and Jack was astonished to see a look of deep resentment in the eyes of David and Stephen whenever they looked at each other. Jack tried to question David on that matter but got no answer. 


	3. Chapter3

"- So David, tell me what were you doing in such a small village?" – Jack asked trying to keep the conversation going. It was almost 1 a.m. but he refused to sleep saying that he feels fine and that everyone should stop treating him like a baby. David gave up trying to persuade Jack to sleep and stayed in Captain's cabin.  
  
"- I just went to see my father's old lawyer. He had some important  
papers concerning our estate" - answered David, pouring some more wine  
into his glass.  
  
"-Why did not you send anyone to pick it up? It is quite a long distance  
from your estate"  
  
"- These papers are very important and I did not want to risk sending  
anyone else to get them"  
  
"- Ah..."  
  
Both men were silent for some time. Then Jack got out of his bed and walked towards the table, where his fiddle lay. He ran his fingers over it gently and lovingly, and then lifted it.  
  
"-I have not played for a long time," -said Captain more to himself  
rather than David. In a moment an exquisite, bittersweet melody filled the cabin, seeped through the door and walls and engulfed the ship. It seemed that for the first time no seaman would complain that you cannot dance to this music. The music required slow movements. Slow and gentle. For several perfect moments ship seemed to be still and everything around seemed to freeze. Then came the sound of quick footsteps and somebody knocked on the door. 


	4. Chapter4

Stephen was dreaming of their duel again. Dream was always the same: he pulls the trigger and watches the bullet hit Jack. He sees disbelief and confusion on Jack's face and rushes to help him, but Jack pushes him away with surprising strength. This night the dream was almost the same, except that he could hear gentle music filling the air around them, music that made him want to hold Jack most desperately, despite being pushed away. He woke up, realising that the distant sounds of music were coming from Captain's cabin. Stephen hurriedly put dressing gown over his nightshirt, and rushed to see Captain, anger rising like a tiden him. "I told him to stay in bed and have plenty of sleep, but no. He would not listen to me!» He knocked on the door and heard David Sayers's cheerful voice saying:  
  
"- There you go, Jack. Somebody came to complain that you are disturbing everyone's sleep."  
  
"Oh, this Mr. Sayers again! He should have left the cabin ages ago and let Jack rest, but he just stayed, and it is so late now!» Suddenly Stephen felt a pang of jealousy. He was condemning David for having stayed with the captain for Jack needed rest, but part of him wished to be in David's place. He brushed quickly off this unnecessary jealousy and entered. Jack stood beside the table with the fiddle in his hands, wearing only his trousers and bandages. David set beside Jack's bed. Both men stared at Stephen with surprise and doctror realised that his anger was very clear to both of them.  
  
"- Mr. Sayers, what are you doing here at this time of the night?! I thought you would be more considerate towards your friend. He needs rest, so please, do be so kind, and leave the room at once!"  
  
David was so overwhelmed by Doctor's anger that he did not dare to argue and wishing Jack good night left the cabin. Stephen turned to Jack, who could not utter a word for the sheer shock of what just happened.  
  
"- And you Jack, get in bed immediately. Did not I tell you that for the wound to heal quickly, you would have to get plenty of rest," - Jack lay his fiddle back on the table, and stepped towards the bed, trying to look guilty, but everything inside him swelled with joy. Stephen finally stopped being so formal, he finally called him by his Christian name again.  
  
Jack sat down on the bed and carefully reclined, not to cause himself too much pain. Stephen sat on the chair, which a minute ago was occupied by David.  
  
"- Why do you never listen to me Jack? Look at you. Walking around only in your trousers as if we are in tropics. Do you want to catch a cold as well? That will not help your wound," - Stephen kept scolding his friend while taking of his bandages to see whether he did himself any harm. Stephen knew he was overreacting but he wanted to stay with Jack. Stephen did not blame Jack for the duel happening any more than himself. He knew perfectly well how difficult it was for Jack to apologise for something especially when he felt guilty. However, Stephen blamed himself. He shot at Jack and could not forgive hinself that. Jack did hurt his feelings but the more he thought about it the more he became convinced that Diana Villiers was scarcely worth this bullet. She was scarcely worth their argument. Jack was his friend, he loved him dearly, but she was just another woman who could not decide what exactly she wants. So he pretended to check Jack's wound, while thinking that Jack probably will never forgive him. Stephen knew that he betrayed Jack.  
  
"- It seems that you have no further harm to your wound, but please do not get up anymore, until I allow you to do so."  
  
Jack knew that Stephen was going to leave now. He placed his hand over Stephen's and whispered:  
  
"- I am so sorry, but I have not played for so long..., - his voice wavered as he added, -We have not played for so long."  
  
Stephen's eyes were full of indecipherable feelings.  
  
" - Jack, - he whispered back, - Are you not angry with me?  
  
" - No, no, my dear. Why would I be?"  
  
" - Well, I ...I shot you."  
  
" - But it was your right. After all, I deserved it."  
  
" - No! How can you say that?!"  
  
" - But I insulted you...."  
  
"- Stop, stop. It was nothing. I should not have become so angry, after all you are my dearest friend not that woman."  
  
"- Stephen, ..." - a smile appeared on Jack's face.  
  
They both stood silent, just looking at each other with tenderness. Jack stroked Stephen's hand and Doctor moved it so that Jack's fingers would touch his palm.This caress seemed to last for eternity before Stpehen dared to make a step forward. He moved from the chair onto the bed and bent towards Jack placing a lightest of the kisses on his lips. They were warm and still held the slightest taste of the wine. Jack's hand slid up his arm and on his chest. It went down in search of the dressing gown's belt and untied it. Stephen felt both of Jack palms upon his chest as they stroked the bare skin that was exposed by the night shirt. Stephen now knew that he would not be rejected as it happened in his dream, So he lowered his head again and kissed Jack passionately. The prolonged, hungry kiss left them both breathless, lightheaded and aroused.  
  
" - Sophie would not count me one of her friends, now that I stole you from her, - said Stephen, breathing softly into Jack's mouth."  
  
" - I guess, she will not be happy with me either for I let myself be stolen so easily," - Jack arms now held Stephen's body close to his.  
  
" - You will probably marry her anyway."  
  
" - Oh, no. The only one I want to marry is you," - Jack smiled kissing Stephen lightly.  
  
" - We both will have to marry women if we do not want any rumours spreading."  
  
" - You are right, as always," - Jack nodded with such a dissapointed expression on his face, that Stephen regretted talking of hiding their relationship when the relationship has barely started. Suddenly a mischiveous smile broke out on Jack's face as he said, "- But for now let us pretend that we are married and this is our first night."  
  
" - Oh, well I am not going to give you a divorce, even if you beg me. "  
  
Jack responded to this statement with a smile and kiss and... many more things. 


End file.
